AWS’ New Global Passport Program Targets ISV Growth

Amazon Web Services just debuted its Global Passport Program for independent software vendors.

The initiative aims to help ISVs branch out into international opportunities. So, the AWS Global Passport Program delivers resources, support and guidance to help make that happen, the company said on Thursday.

“Today’s software companies are up against a number of challenges that can hinder their ability to scale and expand into new regions as they look to accelerate growth,” said Miguel Alava, EMEA general manager for software companies at AWS. “AWS has extensive expertise and technical capabilities to help companies fast-track growth into global markets. We want to provide the resources that empower businesses to scale on a robust cloud-first technology foundation that strengthens their resilience, increases revenue, and reduces their dependency on single markets so they can reach more customers and make greater impact.”

AWS' Miguel Alava

To achieve that, AWS has crafted the following approach for ISVs taking part in the Global Passport Program:

AWS says it will select “growing software companies” to join the Global Passport Program. The criteria AWS will evaluate for inclusion wasn't clear at time of publication. Channel Futures was waiting for a response from the company.

Don’t Leave ‘Millions’ on the Table

Meanwhile, AWS says that going global marks an imperative for ISVs.

“A software company that remains confined to its home markets is leaving millions in potential revenue on the table,” wrote Lexie Knauer, global go-to-market lead at AWS, in an Aug. 22 blog. “New competitors that rapidly scale across borders can swiftly gain irreversible advantages. And any software company that fails to achieve a global presence may soon find itself relegated to niche status.”

But, of course, attaining international expansion aims is no easy task, despite the allure of more revenue. 

“[T]he operational roadblocks of new geographic markets − ranging from regulations and cultural nuances to partnerships and sales motions − can make international growth intimidating for even the most resourceful software companies,” Knauer noted. “The risks of avoiding globalization, though, may be even greater than the challenges of embarking on it.”

As such, AWS developed the Global Passport Program specifically for ISVs (which, at the same time, increases adoption of the world’s largest public cloud computing company’s services). And, Knauer added, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East all present “particularly compelling opportunities.”

Helping ISVs Reach More Users ‘Even Faster’

ISVs that AWS chooses to take part in the Global Passport Program will undergo a three-part, half-day, in-person workshop. When that’s over, they will receive the following collateral: a report that includes recommendations; a business plan; a technical framework and user-story level road map for any compliance-related development work; a joint go-to-market launch plan; and AWS service credits for any expansion-related workloads that meet the return-on-investment threshold. 

Laura Padilla, senior vice president, global channels and alliances at ITSM ISV Freshworks, says teaming with AWS via the Global Passport Program “is helping us get our modern solutions into the hands of businesses within our key growth markets even faster.”

Paolo Cappello, general manager of international sales at managed security services provider Fortra, agreed.

Fortra's Paolo Capello

“AWS’ approach combining business case, technical requirements, and the ability to sell and market gets us closer to the customer faster than going it alone,” Cappello said.